PRINCESS Diana's butler Paul Burrell has won his battle to keep some of Princess Diana's treasures.

Mr Burrell's Chester-based lawyer Andrew Shaw told The Chronicle last night the items included Diana's dresses, a desk and photographs.

This followed an announcement by Scotland Yard that agreement had been reached over the ownership of a 'substantial' amount of the property involved in the famous theft trial which collapsed last August.

Mr Shaw, speaking from his car on a mobile phone, said: 'I am delivering the property back to Paul Burrell's house in Farndon now.

'I have just returned the property we asked for. Paul is at home. He arrived back today. He has got the property he asked for. It does not represent everything taken from his house but it does represent everything he asked for.

'Items include dresses, the desk and photographs.'

Mr Burrell was accused of stealing hundreds of items from the Princess's estate but his Old Bailey trial dramatically collapsed last year following an intervention by the Queen.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: 'Agreement has been reached over the ownership of a substantial amount of property currently in our possession. Negotiations continue to establish ownership of a small number of items still in our possession.

'If there is a dispute the matter will be taken to the High Court to be resolved by civil action. The Metropolitan Police remains neutral in the event of a dispute - it is not in our power to allocate ownership.'

* Next Tuesday the butler will appear in the BBC programme Tabloid Tales in which he suggests her death was more than an accident. ..SUPL: